But quite soon they found their new home too small: there was no room that Tolkien could use as a study. Tolkien stated that he typed out The Hobbit (once) and The Lord of the Rings (twice) while sitting on a bed in the attic.[3] Merton College promised to offer Tolkien a larger house as soon as one became available. In 1950 the Tolkiens moved to 99 Holywell Street.[4]

Theologian Austin Farrer and his wife Katherine lived in number 7 of the same street,[5] and after the Tolkiens moved, Ronald kept correspondence with them, specially with Katherine.